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Cheesecake Factory set to open early summer

The Cheesecake Factory will open at Haywood Mall in early summer.(Photo: Provided)

The Cheesecake Factory has stirred quite the excitement in Greenville. The rumors of the popular restaurant with its genre bending menu have been swirling for several years. Those rumors were confirmed in mid-January with an official announcement from Haywood Mall that the restaurant would be moving into the former Panera Bread space this year.

The 8,560 square foot restaurant is set to open early this summer, according to Alethea Rowe, senior director of public relations & brand management with The Cheesecake Factory. The restaurant will have seating for 210 people, and plans call for a patio inside the mall, as well as one outside, with seating for 50 additional people.

While representatives on The Cheesecake Factory side have remained relatively tight lipped about any plans to open in Greenville, Rowe said the city has actually been on the company’s radar for about six or seven years.

“We always thought it was a great city, but up until that point we were only building restaurants that averaged 10,000 square feet, and necessitated a larger local population size,” Rowe said via e-mail. “After successfully opening a slightly smaller restaurant in a smaller city, it opened up additional markets for us to explore – including Greenville.”

The Haywood Mall area held early appeal, said Rowe, for its location and its “wonderful roster of tenants.”

The mall has been expanding and refining those tenants over the past two years with extensive construction projects that have revamped the interior and exterior spaces.

Wright said the addition of The Cheesecake Factory “helps Haywood Mall continue our commitment to better serve the Greenville and Upstate community.”

The first Cheesecake Factory restaurant opened in Beverly Hills, California in 1978. Since then, the company has grown to include nearly 200 locations around the world.

The restaurant has made a name for itself with its highly eclectic menu. In addition to almost 50 varieties of cheesecakes and other desserts, The Cheesecake Factory menu includes no fewer than 250 menu items. Here, you’ll find eggplant parmesan, meatloaf, hibachi steak and grilled salmon all in one place.

The avocado eggrolls at The Cheesecake Factory is just one example of the restaurant's eclectic offerings.(Photo: Provided)

“There really is something for everyone to love at The Cheesecake Factory,” Rowe said.

As for whether The Cheesecake Factory plans to open any other locations in South Carolina, Rowe said for now, the company was focused on Greenville.

“We are looking forward to opening in Greenville and think we will do very well there,” she said. “We’ll wait to determine our future growth plans in South Carolina until after we’ve opened in Greenville.”

The Cheesecake Factory in Greenville will be located at Haywood Mall. The restaurant is slated to open in early summer 2016.